Russia marked Victory Day on Saturday with its most reduced Red Square parade
in years, as the ongoing war in Ukraine cast a shadow over one of the
country's most revered national holidays.

For the first time in recent memory, no tanks or military equipment rolled
across Red Square due to security concerns over potential Ukrainian attack.

Soldiers marched, fighter jets flew over the Kremlin, and President Vladimir
Putin delivered a speech before laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier.

Russia had warned that any Ukrainian attempt to disrupt the parade would
trigger a massive missile strike on Kyiv, prompting Moscow to advise foreign
diplomats to evacuate their staff from the Ukrainian capital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded with a tongue-in-cheek
decree "allowing" the parade to proceed, saying Ukrainian weapons would not
target Red Square.

A three-day ceasefire announced by U-S President Trump -- running from May 9
to May 11 -- was agreed to by both sides, along with an exchange of
1-thousand prisoners.

Trump said Friday he hoped the ceasefire could be extended significantly.

(PB)